Chile relleno burger comes out on top in fair-food competition

Lori Southerlend, 57, has been in the concessions business at multiple Southern California fairs for almost 40 years. The Vista native has been the sole owner of Lori’s Concessions, which runs Tasti Chips and Grantburgers, since 1998. Southerlend’s Grantburgers won this year’s Concessionaires Cup competition at the OC Fair for its chile relleno burger. Ingredients for the prize-winning burger include an Angus beef patty, chile relleno, chorizo and cheese stacked inside a pretzel bun.

Q.Tell me about the chile relleno burger. What inspired its creation?

A. After the (fair) season is over, all of us in the fair industry start thinking about the next year. Most of us belong to trade associations that track trends in the food industry. Based on our kitchen capabilities and primary menu, we choose what may work for us. For us, it’s a business review with our primary purveyor every year to compare notes and ideas. This year it was a spicy burger and the chile relleno cheeseburger was born.

Q.The burger looks tasty and messy. Should customers eat the burger by hand? Or with a utensil? Why?

A. It is messy. We cut it in half, but you can quarter it for grazing with friends. Plenty of napkins and a can-do attitude helps too. Forks are available on request.

Q.What do visitors at the fair say about the burger? Is it your most popular item?

A. I’ve heard awesome, spicy, savory, and “the bomb.” We have gone from opening day at 10 (burgers) to this past Sunday at 115. (It’s) not (the) most popular, but (it’s) growing every day. Winning the Concessionaires Cup put it on the foodie map and social media has helped tremendously.

Q.How did you react when you found out the burger won at the Concessionaires Cup?

A. Mostly surprise at first. Three trophies for one company? I was so excited. The fact that (the) chefs judged made it even better. Fair food competitions are usually about the most unusual and huge menu items. Chicken Charlie created the new item buzz and put fair food at the forefront of the media coverage (that) we are enjoying now. No good deed goes uncopied, and it has made a lot of us step it up.

There are many fair guests who value that gourmet experience, and we try to tailor it to the realities of event food service. We deal not in hundreds, but thousands every day, and I'm proud of what our industry provides in a little over 180 square feet per unit.

Q.Do you have any plans to create new varieties of burgers at next year’s fair? If so, what?

A. If we can find something that can be as good as our trophy winner, you bet! We will start researching that before Thanksgiving for our first event in June.